First published 1972
This Edgar Award winning thriller marks Warren Kiefer's first published novel. The story centers on a complex web of international intrigue involving coded communications in Lingala, a language spoken in central Africa. The protagonist must navigate dangerous territory as encrypted messages threaten to expose a conspiracy that reaches across continents. Kiefer builds tension through a carefully constructed plot that weaves together African politics, espionage tradecraft, and personal stakes that escalate throughout the narrative. The author's background research into linguistic codes and African culture provides authentic detail to the story's exotic settings and technical elements. The novel explores themes of loyalty, betrayal, and survival as characters face impossible choices in a world where trust becomes a luxury few can afford. The emotional core revolves around the protagonist's struggle to decode not just the mysterious Lingala messages, but also the true motivations of allies and enemies alike in a game where the wrong move could prove fatal.
Genres: adventure, thriller, action, espionage
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: conspiracy, high-stakes, international-conflict
Setting: Africa, Central Africa
Period: 21st-century
245 pages · Hardcover · Random House